1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to radio frequency transmission of cinematic data from a central location to a movie theater, the projection of the cinematic data at the movie theater and the ordering of select cinematic data from the central site.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cinematic information corresponding to, for example, movies displayed at movie theaters, is typically embodied on long strips of film, such as Mylar film. For films displayed at movie theaters, the cinematic information includes plural frames of cinemagraphic video images positioned sequentially along the length of the film. Moreover, corresponding audio data may be embodied on an audio track extending lengthwise along the film.
When a movie is first released for distribution to movie theaters, hundreds or thousands of copies of the movie are prepared, where each copy is embodied on one or more rolls of film. The one or more rolls of film comprising each copy of the movie must then be delivered to a select movie theater utilizing a delivery service.
It is both time consuming and expensive to reproduce the hundreds or thousands of copies of a movie, where each copy typically includes one or more rolls of film, and to distribute these copies to movie theaters. Moreover, this time and expense is duplicated for each movie released. Furthermore, when a movie is in declining circulation extra copies of the movie must be removed from circulation and stored, preferably in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, or destroyed. Storing extra copies of movies on film utilized at movie theaters represents an ongoing storage expense while displaying copies represents at least a one time expense.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above problems, and others, by providing a system and method for communicating motion picture cinematic information from a central site to a movie theater. It is another object to provide a method for ordering select movies from the central site. Still other objects of the invention will become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description.